Industrial truck



Oct. 31, 1950 B. ULINSKI INDUSTRIAL mucx 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1946 INVENTOR 6 ATTORNEY B. ULINSK] INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Oct. 31, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1946 A .mlllll rlllllll ATTO R N EY Oct. 31, 1950 B. ULlNSKl 2,528,401

INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Filed Oct. 15, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I] M 1 1 MIT 5:) n 32 IIIIHIMIUH 16 I u I: 1 g I L 12 "will!" 25 55 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDUSTRIAL TRUCK Bronislaus Ulinski, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,361

1 11 Claims.

This invention relates to an industrial truck. and more particularly to an industrial truck of the type shown in my application Ser. No. 692,465, dated August 15, 1946. In my earlier application, I show an industrial truck of the type in which an elevating carriage is raised relatively to apair of secondary uprights by a hydraulic ram extending between the secondary uprights and the elevating carriage. The secondary uprights are in turn mounted for vertical movement on primary uprights, and for contributing such movement there is utilized a hydraulic ram extending between the primary uprights and the secondary uprights. In a combination of the class described, it is readily appreciated that the hydraulic ram on the secondary uprights must move relatively to the remainder of the truck and the primary uprights. Therefore, the means carrying the hydraulic fluid under pressure to the ram extending between the elevating carriage and the secondary uprights must beflexible so as to supply the ram in all its positions.

In my earlier application, I show flexible hose adapted to carry the fluid to the moving ram, but the particular arrangement illustrated and described is quite unsatisfactory in that the hose is'not maintained in a fixed path. The problem of guiding the hose and maintaining it in a particular ilxed path is a rather considerable one, but was finally solved by me through the conception and structure hereinafter set forth.

As a feature of this invention, I contribute guide means for a hose in a combination of the class described, the said guide means serving to guide the hose and maintain it in predetermined relation to the truck structure. As a more particular feature of this part of the invention, I utilize guide means for the legs of a vertical loop formed by the hose. Even more particularly, I

employ a pair of simple channels for guiding the hose and maintaining it in a predetermined vertical plane ior effective operation in my structural combination.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my con-' tribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carryvent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a truck in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of certain parts of the truck shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the right side of Fig. 2 towardthe left. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating the action of the hose and the guide means upon vertical movement of the secondary uprights relatively to the primary uprights. Fig. 5 is a section taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section taken along lines 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially Fig. 1, I show an industrial truck of the type having a battery compartment l0 adapted to supply power to a traction unit ll, part of which is shown in Fig. 2, the said traction unit driving a traction axle l2 and a pair of traction wheels l3. The truck is steered by a manual steering wheel l4 having suitable connection with trailer and steering wheels 15. A brake treadle is shown at It and there is present, of course, a usual type of controller that is not illustrated, the operator being adapted to occupy a seat I1 and to control the truck therefrom.

The primary uprights to which I have alluded are designated by reference numeral l8 and are; suitably connected by bracing members as is' common in this art. In accordance with the teachings of m earlier patents, the primary uprights is are mounted for rotation about the traction axle l2, being secured thereon through means of caps l9 bolted to the uprights at 20. as shown in the drawings. Tilting movement of the uprights about the traction axle I2 is contributed by a hydraulic ram assembly 2| pivoted at 22 to the frame of the truck, and at 23 to a bracket 24 that is integral with the primary uprights I 8.

The secondary uprights of my truck are designated by reference numeral 25 and have secured for movement therewith opposed upper and lower rollers 26 and 21, as best seen in Fig. 5, adapted to ride in the channel grooves 28 of the primary uprights 18. Additional rollers and guides may be provided as shown in the drawings, to maintain the secondary uprights securely on said primary uprights, but these rollers and guides are not part of the present invention and are, therefore, not here described in greater detail.

A bracket 29 is secured to the secondary uprights 2-5. and fastened to the said bracket 29 at 30 are two chains 31 secured at their other ends at 32 to a bracket 33 forming a fixed part of the primary uprights l8. A hydraulic ram assembly 34 supported at its lower end on the primary uprights I8 is equipped with sprockets 35 at the upper end of its ram 34a adapted to actuate the chains 3|, and thereby to elevate the secondary uprights 25. This elevation will be at a speed twice the speed of movement of the ram 34a of the ram assembly 34. Fluid will be supplied to the ram assembly 34 from a pump 36, shown in Fig. 1, all as is made quite apparent in my earlier application, and all as will be very clearly understood by those skilled in the art. It may be well at this point to indicate that the parts so far described are not the invention herein claimed, but I shall hereinafter particularly point out the partlcular contribution of this application.

The elevating carriage of my truck is desig-. nated by reference numeral 31, and is equipped with upper and lower rollers 38 adapted to ride in the channel grooves 39 of the secondary uprights 25. Two sprocket chains 40 are fastened at one end to the carriage 31 through means of a bracket. At their other ends the chains 40 are fastened to thebracket 29 of the secondary uprights at 42. A ram assembly 43 issupported on the secondary uprights 25 at its lower end,

the ram 43a of the said ram assembly 43 carrying a pair of sprockets 44 adapted to actuate the chains 40. Obviously, ram 43a will life the carriage 31 at two times its own speed of movement. The ram assembly 43 secures its fluid, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, through means of a coupling 45 screw threaded into the lower end 43bof the ram cylinder forming part of the ram assembly 43. The coupling 45 has threaded therein a nipple 45 at the end of a flexible hose 41. The flexible hose 4! extends from the nipple 46 and the coupling 45 to a nipple 48 entering a coupling member 49 at the lower end of the ram assembly 34. The coupling member 49 receives its fluid from a hose extending from the pump 36 and shown at 50 in Fig. 2 entering the coupling 49. So far as my present invention is concerned, it is merely necessary to know that the moving ram assembly 43 receives its fluid through one end of a flexible hose that preferably is fixed at its other end, and preferably also takes the form of a vertical loop that may extend upwardly from its two ends in the form of vertical legs.

As is explained in my earlier application, hy draulic fluid may be made accessible simultaneously to both ram assemblies, and because the ram assembly 43 has a lesser load to carry than the ram assembly 34, the chains 40 'will be actuated first to lift the elevating carriage 31 to its mny lifted position on the secondary uprights 25 shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter, the fluid pressure will be accepted by the ram assembly 34 and the chains 3| will be actuated to lift the secondary uprights 25 together with the elevating carriage 31. During the lifting movement of the secondary uprights relatively to the primary uprights, the hose 4'' must move from its position of Fi 2 to its position of Fig. 4.

For guiding the hose in its movement, I secure to the primary uprights IS a sheet metal channel 5| open at 52. To the secondary uprights 25 I secure a similar channelmember 53 open at 54. It will be noted that the corresponding flanges of the channel members 5| and 53 are in thesame vertical plane. The two vertical legs of the loop formed by the hose 41 in Fig. 2 are adapted also to lie in the same vertical plane and in the plane of the channel members 5|, 53. While the particular plane shown in the drawings is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck, it is possible to place the hose in a plane angular to the said longitudinal axis. Also, the channels need consist merely of flanges welded to the uprights, and will serve to guide the hose.

As the secondary uprights 25 move vertically relatively to the primary uprights l8. the hose 41 will move so that its left vertical leg of Fig. 2 becomes longer and occupies more andmore the length of the channel 5|. At the same time, the right leg of the hose 41 will become shorter and shorter and will lie less and less within the channel 53. Of course. in all positions of the secondary uprights the hose 4'! will be guided quite adequately and will be maintained in proper position so as not to strike against any of the moving parts of the truck. This contributes long life to the flexible hose 4! and is an extremely important part of the invention, as those skilled in the art will appreciate. Thus, by an extremely simple expedient, all as fully outlined, I am able to guide the flexible hose of my invention so as to contribute long life and safety thereto, thereby making it possible for me to use the dual ram arrangement fully claimed and described in my earlier application.

I now claim:

1. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair ofvertlcal uprightameans wherebysaid load lifting assembly ismoved on said uprights,a flexible hose or the like extendingfrom a relatively low point of said vertical uprights to a relatively low point of said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and ofsufllcient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and fixed vertically positioned guide means for guiding said hose or the like as its flexes during the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights for maintaining in substantially fixed vertical paths those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during the flexing of the hose incidental to the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

2. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from a relatively low point of said vertical uprights to a relatively low point of said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of sufllcient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and guide means for said hose positioned on said uprights and said load lifting assembly for fixing the path of movement of said hose as it flexes during the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

3. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights,

means whereby said load lifting assembly is, moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from said vertical uprights to said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of suflicient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and fixed 1 those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during the flexing of the hose incidental to the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively.to said vertical uprights.

4. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from said vertical uprights to said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of sufficient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and channel guides for said hose positioned on said uprights and said lo'ad lifting assembly for fixing the path of movement of said hose as it flexes during the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

5. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from a relatively low point of said vertical uprights to a relatively low point of said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its low-. ermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of sufficient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and guide means for said hose positioned on said uprights and said load lifting assembly for maintaining in substantially fixed vertical paths those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during the flexing of the hose incidental to the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

6. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from said vertical uprights to said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of suflicient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and fixed guide means for said hose extending linearly parallel to said uprights for maintaining in sub-s stantially fixed vertical paths those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during,

the flexing of the hose incidental to the move- 6 ment of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

7. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said-uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from a relatively low point of said vertical uprights to a relatively low point of said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop whensaid load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of suflicient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, and channel guides for said hose, positioned on said uprights and said load lifting assembly for fixing the path of movement of said hose as it flexes during the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

8. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting'assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means wherebysaid load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from a low point relatively to said vertical uprights to a relatively low point of said load lifting assembly and taking the form of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of sufllcient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, channel guides secured in a single vertical plane on said load lifting assembly and said uprights for maintaining in substantially flxed vertical paths those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during the flexing of the hose incidental to the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

9. In a truck of the class described, a pair of vertical uprights, a load lifting assembly, means mounting said load lifting assembly for vertical movement on said pair of vertical uprights, means whereby said load lifting assembly is moved on said uprights, a flexible hose or the like extending from said vertical uprights to said load lifting assembly and taking the form 'of a vertical loop when said load lifting assembly is in its lowermost position relatively to said vertical uprights and of suflicient length to allow full upward movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights, channel guides secured in a single vertical plane on said load lifting assembly and said uprights for maintaining in substantially fixed vertical paths those portions of the flexible hose loop that are vertical during the flexing of the hose incidental to the movement of said load lifting assembly relatively to said vertical uprights.

10. In a truck of the class described, a pair of primary vertical uprights, a pair of secondary vertical uprights, means mounting said secondary uprights for vertical lifting movement on said primary uprights and in longitudinally spaced relation thereto, means for lifting said secondary uprights relatively to said primary uprights, a load carriage mounted for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, a hydraulic ram supported on said secondary uprights and adapted to lift said load carriage relatively to said secondary uprights, a flexible hose or the like for carrying hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic ram extend- 7 ing from a, relatively low point on said primary uprights to a relatively low point of said secondary uprights and taking the form of a vertical loop when said secondary uprights are in their lowermost position relatively to said primary uprights and of suflicient length to allow full upward movement of said secondary uprights onsaid primary uprights, the legs of said vertical loop lying in longitudinally spaced relation and ary uprights for vertical lifting movement on said primary uprights and in longitudinally spaced relation thereto, means for lifting said secondary uprights relatively to said primary uprights, a load carriage mounted for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, a hydraulic ram supported on said secondary uprights and adapted to lift said load carriage relatively to said second- 0 ary uprights, a flexible hose or the like for carrying hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic ram extending from ,a relatively low point on said primary uprights to a relatively low point of said second- 8 ary uprights and taking the form of a vertical loop when said secondary uprights are in their lowermost position relatively to said primary uprights and of sufficient length to allow full upward movement of said secondary uprights on said primary uprights, the legs of said vertical loop lying in longitudinally spaced relation and adapted to lengthen and shorten during the vertical movement of said secondary uprights relatively to said primary uprights, and channel guides for said hose positioned on said secondary uprights and said primary uprights and in which the legs of the hose loop are guided during the verticalmovement 0! said secondary uprights on said primary uprights.

- BRONISLAUS ULINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 317,899 Ward May 12, 1885 2,178,369 Dunham Octl'31, 1939 2,281,004 Lehman et a1 Apr. 28, 1942 2,375,104 Heitsu May 1, 1945 2,399,632 Guerin May 7, 1946 2,432,411 Guerin et a1. Dec. 9, 1947 

